Xuchang, Henan: Empowering Agriculture with Reliable Electricity for a Flourishing Harvest

On March 25, Zhu Shaopeng and Chen Fei, service personnel from Shixiang Power Supply Station of State Grid Xuchang Electric Power Company, conducted inspections of electrical lines and equipment within a demonstration area of high-standard farmland, fully ensuring reliable power for spring plowing and irrigation.

Chen Xuemin, a major grain grower in the area, greeted Zhu Shaopeng warmly: “Thanks to stable and sufficient electricity supply, our automated sprinkler irrigation system can now run at full capacity, making irrigation more precise and efficient. Previously, irrigating 100 mu took 10 days, but now we complete 1,000 mu in just eight days, saving both electricity and water resources.”

Ample grain ensures national stability. Grain is fundamental to both the national economy and people’s livelihoods, serving as a cornerstone of national security. In 2024, Xuchang achieved a total grain production of 2.949 million tons, marking a 2% increase year-on-year. Entering the new year, the Xuchang Power Supply Company has prioritized securing electricity for spring agricultural activities. To promptly meet farmers’ electricity demands, the company is deeply implementing the national strategy of “securing grain through technology,” ensuring adequate power supply for spring plowing and irrigation, facilitating bumper harvests, closely following farmland renovation projects and high-standard farmland construction, continuously increasing investment in rural power grids, and actively constructing electric facilities for irrigation wells to meet agricultural power demands throughout the year. The company has intensified load monitoring in agricultural areas, conducting thorough inspections of electricity lines, distribution transformers, and irrigation equipment dedicated to spring farming, while upgrading areas experiencing heavy load. It employs an integrated inspection system combining “drone monitoring and visualization technology and manual patrols,” enhancing inspection efficiency and accuracy and significantly reducing troubleshooting times. Additionally, the Xuchang Power Supply Company has established special “spring irrigation electricity service teams” at local power supply stations and service centers, providing grid-based, proactive services. The company also emphasizes emergency repair management, equipping power supply stations with backup transformers and necessary repair materials, and ensuring 24-hour emergency response capability, thereby safeguarding uninterrupted electricity supply during the critical spring irrigation period. (Jiao Yongsheng and Liu Nannan)